CPPAANB condemns the racist terrorist attack in Trappes and La Verrière and the murder of young Javits Frimpong

OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF THE COUNCIL

Moncton, New Brunswick, November 1, 2026 — The New Brunswick Provincial Council of People of African Descent (CPPAANB) expresses its profound outrage and condemns in the strongest possible terms two tragedies that, within the space of a week, claimed the lives of two young men of African descent: Pengo Bossio Wangi, 26, killed in France on October 23, and Javits Frimpong, 15, shot and killed in New York on October 29.

These lives are not statistics. They are not mere news items. They compel us, here and elsewhere, to confront the violence directed at Black people and to demand responses commensurate with its gravity.

Trappes and La Verrière: a racist terrorist attack—let us call it what it is

On October 23, 2026, in Trappes and La Verrière (Yvelines, France), a man opened fire from his car on passersby whom he deliberately selected because, in his eyes, they were Black, Arab or Muslim. Pengo Bossio Wangi, a 26-year-old Black French man, was killed. Seven others were injured, including an 11-year-old girl who was seriously wounded.

According to information made public, the suspect himself said he wanted to target ‘Black people’ and ‘Arabs.’ This was therefore neither an inexplicable tragedy nor an isolated act of madness: it was an act of terrorism motivated by racial hatred and fuelled by an ideology that dehumanizes people of African and North African descent.

CPPAANB honours the memory of Pengo Bossio Wangi and extends its deepest condolences to his family, his loved ones and all the residents of Trappes and La Verrière. We wish those injured a swift and full recovery, especially the 11-year-old girl. We salute the thousands of people who gathered on October 30 to stand against racism, and we condemn with equal force the racist threats subsequently directed at the mayor of Trappes.

The Bronx: Javits Frimpong, 15, killed on his way to school

On October 29, 2026, Javits Frimpong, a 10th-grade student originally from Ghana, was shot and killed while on his way to school in the Bronx, New York. He had arrived in the United States about a year earlier to join his father, hoping for a better life. According to his father, he had repeatedly reported being bullied at school. As of the date of this statement, no arrest had been made.

A 15-year-old should be able to walk to school without risking his life. CPPAANB condemns this murder and demands that its circumstances and motives, whatever they may be, be fully established and that those responsible be held accountable before the courts.

This tragedy underscores the particular vulnerability of young immigrants of African descent: isolation, bullying, reports that have not received an adequate response, and exposure to gun violence. We stand in solidarity with his father, Thomas Frimpong, his mother in Ghana, and the Ghanaian and African communities of New York.

Systemic racism knows no borders

Such violence does not arise in a vacuum. It flourishes where hate speech is normalized, where Black people are portrayed as threats, and where institutions are slow to protect those who report that they are in danger. Systemic racism also looks like this: warnings ignored, lives deemed less valuable, and tragedies quickly forgotten.

Canada and New Brunswick are not immune. People of African descent here also face profiling, exclusion and hateful speech, online and in public spaces. What happens in Trappes or the Bronx resonates directly in our communities, particularly among our young people and recently arrived families.

Racism also operates at the intersection of multiple forms of discrimination. Black women and girls face discrimination based on both race and gender: violence, stereotypes, and barriers to employment, health care and safety. The fact that an 11-year-old girl was among the victims in Trappes reminds us that racial hatred spares no one. Every policy to combat racism must therefore incorporate a gender-based and intersectional analysis.

Our calls to action

CPPAANB calls on governments, institutions and civil society to move from words to action:

Name racist crimes for what they are and prosecute them accordingly, including when they constitute terrorism.
Strengthen efforts against online hate and the normalization of racist rhetoric in the media and politics.
Establish a provincial strategy in New Brunswick to combat systemic racism, with measurable objectives, stable funding and public accountability.
Integrate intersectional analysis of race and gender into all public policies, with targeted measures to advance the safety, employment and health of women and girls of African descent.
Protect young people in schools: take every report of bullying seriously and follow up on it, and train staff to recognize racially motivated violence.
Support young immigrants and their families through assistance with integration, safety and mental health.
Collect data disaggregated by race and gender to measure inequalities and the effectiveness of these measures.

For its part, CPPAANB reaffirms its commitment to supporting families, bringing the voices of communities of African descent to public authorities, and working with all willing partners to build a fairer and safer New Brunswick.

Conclusion

Pengo Bossio Wangi and Javits Frimpong should still be alive. Their memory obliges us to act. Silence and indifference are not options: in the face of racism, every institution and every citizen has a duty to act.

The New Brunswick Provincial Council of People of African Descent

(CPPAANB)

For questions about this statement: info@cppaanb.ca